Saturday, August 15, 2009

Day 2 into Day 3

Sometimes the narrative of blogs can be disorienting – for example, if I’m to post an essay that references a prior post, those of you just joining us would have to first scroll down beyond this screed and catch up, before I start off with an opening sentence like…

Now, what does feel a bit more open to us…at least a bit more welcoming to this still malleable lump of younger, millennial day jobbers, is something like the Fucking Awesome Fest, which wrapped it’s second full night, yesterday, and continues today (starting at 1pm) at the Majestic complex. (DC Favs include: Mick Bassett & The Marthas, Silverghost, and I, Crime) ((pictured top to bottom))

I’m in no hurry to get overly reflective yet, because we’re not even halfway through. As of now, I feel like the question shouldn’t be whether this acts as (yet another) jumpstart, or propulsion to a scene that is often at the heights of boiling over and out from under the lid, or whether this causes a mass eureka/kumbaya of unity that links all of these bands (more than 60 of them locals) and forges a new age of love, togetherness and potential community activism…, well, no, none of that for now…, the only question for now, should be…why stress about all that shit? Why be uptight at all? Why be self-conscious? Why be judgmental?

I don’t know. As one bounces around from body to body, with each new greeting feeling like speed dating, Hey-how’s-it-going-what’s-new-oh-cool-which-band-are-you-going-to-see-next-okay-cool-see-you-around—I was reminded that I’ve been trying to start a book. A book. Of course. Something that would dissect our generation from numerous angles. The over caffeinated, over thinker that I am…, I’m starting to dissect that idea…dissecting the idea of dissecting...

I think some of us are so obsessed with defining our generation, our culture, our impact, and what this…this, at the Majestic, this gathering of bands, these friendships, this spastic crossfire of sounds inside a dying city, what this means!? Maybe its because we are the post-everything generation – that we are drowning in reflection: people looking back to the Beats, looking back to Dylan, our parents looking back to classic cruising cars, our 80’s children-selves looking back fondly on the memories of Michael Jackson videos and John Hughes films, our music-nerd-selves looking back on the days of grunge, and early indie/rock, our incorrigibly self-conscious-selves looking back on the older scene of Detroit and then knee-jerk-ingly shitting on this new one…

We are inundated with looking back, or comparing what is now to what was then…

Last nite showed a lot of great energy from the bands, and an increased energy from the crowds (now that it was Friday, and not a “school night” like the kick-off). Picture-splurge on the way! (Monday)

Today’s line up at the Majestic complex kicks off at 1pm.

Meanwhile, up in Rochester, at the Factory (on Main Street), Child Bite, Charlie Slick and Allan James & The Cold Wave are playing…

Scarlet Oaks plays the Northern Lights Lounge for their CD Release. And The Rue Moor Counts play the Lager House for their 7” release.